We hope everyone had a fun Halloween!
Monday, October 31, 2011
Saturday, October 29, 2011
Monday, October 24, 2011
It's Growing!!
OK - I had planned to just do weekly updates on this Amaryllis - and I still most likely will do that - but it's growing! This morning was the first sign. So just had to share.
P. Allen Smith how to video suggested not watering the bulb until the first growth appeared. I decided to follow this advice and kind of worried would it really happen, just setting it into the dirt - and voila - it is working. Reason not for watering was to keep the bulb from rotting.
So Happy!
P. Allen Smith how to video suggested not watering the bulb until the first growth appeared. I decided to follow this advice and kind of worried would it really happen, just setting it into the dirt - and voila - it is working. Reason not for watering was to keep the bulb from rotting.
So Happy!
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
The Birdhouses at OSH
Remember my recent visit to OSH? I mentioned that I loved the giant "birdhouses". Well, I thought I'd share them with you. I think you'll find them very charming.
There are only 5 of them. One of these pictures must be the backside of one of the houses. All so cute though, don't you think?
There are only 5 of them. One of these pictures must be the backside of one of the houses. All so cute though, don't you think?
Monday, October 17, 2011
A Walk in Quicksilver Park
Several times a week, if the path isn't muddy, I walk this beautiful trail.
Entrance to this part of the trail is located at the end of McAbee - down the street from Castillero Middle School.
As a kid, groups of neighborhood friends would walk these paths - just us kids alone. We called them The Nature Trails, and we either entered off Leyland Park Drive, behind the country club golf course, or we'd walk down McAbee to its end, then on through Pierce Ranch. I think it was a dairy.
One of my walking buddies - Wrendy [shy of the camera] and wonder dog Mac (he is a very good boy).
That's Mt Hamilton in the distance.
What a beautiful way to start any day.
Entrance to this part of the trail is located at the end of McAbee - down the street from Castillero Middle School.
As a kid, groups of neighborhood friends would walk these paths - just us kids alone. We called them The Nature Trails, and we either entered off Leyland Park Drive, behind the country club golf course, or we'd walk down McAbee to its end, then on through Pierce Ranch. I think it was a dairy.
One of my walking buddies - Wrendy [shy of the camera] and wonder dog Mac (he is a very good boy). 
That's Mt Hamilton in the distance.
What a beautiful way to start any day.
Saturday, October 15, 2011
A Wish Come True
Ever since Eric was in Kindergarten I have wanted to see the Monarch Butterflies in Santa Cruz. Finally, we did it! For my birthday! It was great!
We went to Natural Bridges State Park. It was a beautiful afternoon.
Natural Bridges State Beach
The Monarch Grove Boardwalk
It is so quiet, we were using our "butterfly" voices.
Butterflies everywhere but for the most part always on the move! And ones that did stop, were difficult to photograph with my camera - just not close enough.
You're right, there aren't any butterflies in the shot, but the berries are pretty.
Claire is ready for a butterfly to land on her nose.
Very picturesque - the entire grove.
Getting ready for a shot.
Tricky to balance.
The Rest of the Story -
We went in style - Greg borrowed a convertible from a co-worker. Was so fun!
Claire had plans back in San Jose, she needed to be home before 5. We'd pictured ourselves having "fishy" like food on a pier but we had Panda Express instead, was quicker. Greg and I shared a plate with the idea that we'd go to dinner back in San Jose.
Claire went off for her fun. I got settled on the couch. We had Taco Bell for dinner. My request. Greg was not happy but it was my birthday so I won.
We went to Natural Bridges State Park. It was a beautiful afternoon.
Natural Bridges State Beach
The Monarch Grove Boardwalk
It is so quiet, we were using our "butterfly" voices.Butterflies everywhere but for the most part always on the move! And ones that did stop, were difficult to photograph with my camera - just not close enough.
You're right, there aren't any butterflies in the shot, but the berries are pretty. 
Claire is ready for a butterfly to land on her nose. 
Very picturesque - the entire grove.
Getting ready for a shot.
Tricky to balance.
The Rest of the Story -
We went in style - Greg borrowed a convertible from a co-worker. Was so fun!
Claire had plans back in San Jose, she needed to be home before 5. We'd pictured ourselves having "fishy" like food on a pier but we had Panda Express instead, was quicker. Greg and I shared a plate with the idea that we'd go to dinner back in San Jose.
Claire went off for her fun. I got settled on the couch. We had Taco Bell for dinner. My request. Greg was not happy but it was my birthday so I won.
What a Surprise!
Greg went to the Apple store in Los Gatos on Thursday night. Look who was there.
Ends up Greg was at the store getting a bday gift for me - look what else I got.
The Rest of the Story -
The iPhone 4S came out on Friday. Steve Wozniak was at the front of the "stay all night" line to get his phone. My gift from Greg is an AppleTV?? I totally do not know what it is, even after having it explained to me I still don't quite get it. When I opened the gift I said "...I get a gadget?...this looks like something Dad wants..." We all laughed. Then I pulled out the signed card. Fun surprise. Then Greg told me that when Mr. Wozniak signed the card his wife asked, "Is this gift for your wife? or is it really for you?"
Funny!
Greg can say it really is for me because he is not a fan of TV.
Ends up Greg was at the store getting a bday gift for me - look what else I got.
The Rest of the Story -
The iPhone 4S came out on Friday. Steve Wozniak was at the front of the "stay all night" line to get his phone. My gift from Greg is an AppleTV?? I totally do not know what it is, even after having it explained to me I still don't quite get it. When I opened the gift I said "...I get a gadget?...this looks like something Dad wants..." We all laughed. Then I pulled out the signed card. Fun surprise. Then Greg told me that when Mr. Wozniak signed the card his wife asked, "Is this gift for your wife? or is it really for you?"
Funny!
Greg can say it really is for me because he is not a fan of TV.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
A visit to OSH
Remember where Mervyn's was located - Princeton Plaza on the corner of Meridian and Blossom Hill? Now it is a fancy Orchard Supply Hardware. It's nice.
I made a visit today.
I love the painted Adirondack chair.
A day earlier I think I would have missed the mix of pumpkins AND Christmas trees. They were setting up Christmas while I was there.
The nursery is lovely.
I love the giant "birdhouses"
A project for me :-)
I made a visit today.
I love the painted Adirondack chair. 
A day earlier I think I would have missed the mix of pumpkins AND Christmas trees. They were setting up Christmas while I was there.
The nursery is lovely.
I love the giant "birdhouses"
A project for me :-)
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
Mapping Fire - Research at BYU
I received a text from Eric last Friday telling me to tune into Science Friday (NPR program with host Ira Flatow). I love this show – I often listen in. Here's what Eric wanted me to hear/see -
Eric works with Tadd Truscott in the Splashlab and Dale Tree is one of his professors - for his Engines class. :-)
Eric works with Tadd Truscott in the Splashlab and Dale Tree is one of his professors - for his Engines class. :-)
Monday, October 10, 2011
It Was so Exciting!
Greg and I saw the Blue Angels perform for Fleet Week in San Francisco this past Friday (Oct. 7). Someone Greg does business with invited us to join him and his business associates with lots of other business associates at the St Francis Yacht Club, just East of Crissy Field and West of Marina Green and Aquatic Park.
Golden Gate Bridge to the left of us,
Alcatraz to the right -
the bay filled with boats to watch the show going on overhead.
It was SO exciting! (the plane above is not a blue angel, I don't know what it is but we got there just as it finished up its show)
(This is where I would have posted some videos. They'd be bad. You wouldn't be able to see very much because everything is small on my camera, but I can't get video to transfer so I guess you can consider yourselves spared.)
That's a Blue Angel - and there are some flying further in the distance headed off to the left.
These jets were flying right in front of us, and sometimes right over the top of us - as if they'd scrape the top of the building. I gave up videoing fairly quickly so I didn't get most of their fancy tricks. Plus they did those tricks to the right of us. I think Marina Green or Aquatic Park really would be the ideal place to see the show. We also learned that Friday's show was practice for the real shows on Saturday and Sunday. Sadly, some of Sunday's show was canceled due to fog.
The Blue Angel show lasted around 45 minutes. There were other performers before, but we were not in time to see those from the club. It took a little longer than we expected to get to where we were going. Go figure. So many cars, so many people! :-/ I thought we were doomed not to find a parking spot but lucky us, there was a spot right near the club entrance. I worried we'd get a ticket for not having a special permit but people were parked in the craziest places. I think just about anything was safe that day. And of course, lots of cars and lots of people meant impossible quick exit. We decided to walk around the harbor until the line up was gone. We probably waited about an hour.
Roof of the club.
A little snack. Can you tell what it is?
Views from the harbor.
Once on our way again we decided we'd venture over to Sausalito for dinner. We'd never been there before. We passed some of the restaurants that set you right across the bay with view of San Francisco but opted for a restaurant that looked out across Richardson Bay to Belvedere (I didn't know the names of these places, I just now looked them up) Belvedere is next to Tiburon (I had heard of Tiburon). It was pretty, not the same as looking at San Francisco but still very nice.
View from the restaurant.
Shrimp and bread to share.
Chicken and chips for me. (a non-fish approach to fish and chips. Those round things that look like some sort of shelled sea life? At least they looked like that to me when I first saw them - they are little red potatoes that were squished and then fried, or fried and then squished - I don't know - I'm guessing they were boiled first - all of it was very yummy!)
Crab for Greg.
It was a great day.
Golden Gate Bridge to the left of us,
Alcatraz to the right - 
the bay filled with boats to watch the show going on overhead. 
It was SO exciting! (the plane above is not a blue angel, I don't know what it is but we got there just as it finished up its show)(This is where I would have posted some videos. They'd be bad. You wouldn't be able to see very much because everything is small on my camera, but I can't get video to transfer so I guess you can consider yourselves spared.)
That's a Blue Angel - and there are some flying further in the distance headed off to the left.These jets were flying right in front of us, and sometimes right over the top of us - as if they'd scrape the top of the building. I gave up videoing fairly quickly so I didn't get most of their fancy tricks. Plus they did those tricks to the right of us. I think Marina Green or Aquatic Park really would be the ideal place to see the show. We also learned that Friday's show was practice for the real shows on Saturday and Sunday. Sadly, some of Sunday's show was canceled due to fog.
The Blue Angel show lasted around 45 minutes. There were other performers before, but we were not in time to see those from the club. It took a little longer than we expected to get to where we were going. Go figure. So many cars, so many people! :-/ I thought we were doomed not to find a parking spot but lucky us, there was a spot right near the club entrance. I worried we'd get a ticket for not having a special permit but people were parked in the craziest places. I think just about anything was safe that day. And of course, lots of cars and lots of people meant impossible quick exit. We decided to walk around the harbor until the line up was gone. We probably waited about an hour.
Roof of the club.
A little snack. Can you tell what it is?
Views from the harbor.
Once on our way again we decided we'd venture over to Sausalito for dinner. We'd never been there before. We passed some of the restaurants that set you right across the bay with view of San Francisco but opted for a restaurant that looked out across Richardson Bay to Belvedere (I didn't know the names of these places, I just now looked them up) Belvedere is next to Tiburon (I had heard of Tiburon). It was pretty, not the same as looking at San Francisco but still very nice.
View from the restaurant.
Shrimp and bread to share.
Chicken and chips for me. (a non-fish approach to fish and chips. Those round things that look like some sort of shelled sea life? At least they looked like that to me when I first saw them - they are little red potatoes that were squished and then fried, or fried and then squished - I don't know - I'm guessing they were boiled first - all of it was very yummy!)
Crab for Greg. 
It was a great day.
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